Extensible method and apparatus for retrieving files having unique record identifiers as file names during program execution

• US 6,119,133 A
• Filed: 04/16/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Celi, Joseph Jr., Nusbickel, Wendi L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, William
• Application Number:
  US09/061,387
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/205, 707/508
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique identifier, a method for naming data files comprising the steps of: (a) associating at least one of said database records with additional data specified by a data file name; and (b) naming at least part of said data file name to said unique record identifier for said one of said database records of step (a). In an alternate embodiment, an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique identifier; at least one data file name for specifying additional data wherein part of each data file name is composed of one of said unique identifiers for one of said database records, a method for locating data files comprising the steps of: retrieving one of said database records; determining said unique identifier for one of said database records; and retrieving any additional data using said data file name.

Claims

1. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique record identifier, a method for naming data files comprising the steps of

(a) associating at least one of said database records with additional data stored in said data file, specified by a data file name;

and

(b) naming at least part of said data file name to said unique record identifier for said one of said database records of step (a).

2. The method for naming data files of claim 1, wherein said step (a) further comprises:

(a) associating at least one of said database records with additional multimedia data referenced by a data file name.

3. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique record identifier, at least one data file name for specifying additional data wherein part of each data file name is composed of one of said unique record identifiers for one of said database records, a method for locating data files comprising the steps of

(a) receiving a query;

(b) retrieving data from the database, based on the query, the data including a unique record identifier; and

(c) retrieving further data by retrieving at least one file whose file name includes the unique record identifier, the file containing the further data.

4. The method for locating data files of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(f) creating a Web page using HTML compatible codes for rendering said at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

5. The method for locating data files of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(f) creating a Web page for an online directory listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

6. The method for locating data files of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(f) creating a Web page for an Internet search listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

7. The method for locating data files of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(f) creating an application for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

8. The method for locating data files of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

(f) creating a JAVA compliant application for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

9. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique record identifier, a computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for naming data files, said program instructions comprising instructions for:

(a) associating at least one of said database records with additional data, stored in said data file, specified by a data file name; and

(b) naming at least part of said data file name to said unique record identifier for said one of said database records of step (a).

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprises:

associating at least one of said database records with additional multimedia data referenced by a data file name.

11. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a record unique identifier;

one or more data file names for specifying additional data wherein part of each data file name is composed of said unique record identifiers for one of said database records, a computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for locating data files, said program instructions comprising instructions for;

(a) receiving a query;

(b) retrieving data from the database, based on the query the data including a unique record identifier; and

retrieving further data by retrieving at least one file whose file name includes the unique record identifier;

the file containing the further data.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

creating a Web page using HTML compatible codes for rendering said at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

creating a Web page for an online directory listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

creating a Web page for an Internet search listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

creating an application for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

creating a JAVA compliant application for rendering at least part of said database records and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

17. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each of said database records has a unique record identifier, a system for naming data files comprising:

associating means for associating at least one of said database records with additional data, stored in said data file, specified by a data file name; and

naming means for naming at least part of said data file name to said unique record identifier for said one of said database records from said associating means.

18. The information processing system for naming data files of claim 17, wherein said associating means further comprises:

means for associating at least one of said database records with additional multimedia data specified by a data file name.

19. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records wherein each database record has a unique record identifier;

at least one data file name for specifying additional data wherein part of each data file name is composed of one of said unique record identifiers for one of said database records, a system for locating data files comprising;

first retrieving means for receiving a query;

determining means for retrieving data from the database, based on the query, the data including a unique record identifier; and

second retrieving means for retrieving further data by retrieving at least one file whose file name includes the unique record identifier, the file containing the further data.

20. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 19, further comprising:

creating means for a Web page using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database record and at least part of said additional data.

21. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 19, further comprising:

creating means for creating a Web page for an online directory listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database record and at least part of said additional data.

22. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 19, further comprising:

creating means for creating a Web page for an Internet search listing using HTML compatible codes for rendering at least part of said database record and at least part of said additional data.

23. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 19, further comprising:

creating means for creating an application for rendering at least part of said database record and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

24. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 19, further comprising:

creating means for creating a JAVA compliant application for rendering at least part of said database record and at least part of said additional data, wherein said application executes on a client system coupled to said information processing system.

25. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records;

at least one data file name for specifying a series of data, a method for naming a series of data files using file flags comprising the steps of;

(a) creating a database record that includes a field with flags, and

(b) naming at least part of said series of data files based on numerical equivalents of all possible flag combinations.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said data series are images relating to a group of online services.

27. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records;

at least one data file name for specifying additional data, a system for locating a series of data files using file flag comprising;

(a) creating means for creating a database record that includes field with flags;

(b) naming means for naming at least part of said series of data files based on numerical equivalents of all possible flag combinations; and

(c) retrieving means for retrieving the file name whose name corresponds to the states of the flags in the database record, when selecting a database record.

28. The information processing system for locating data files of claim 27, wherein said data series are images relating to a group of online services.

29. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records;

at least one data file name for specifying series of data, a computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for naming a series of data files, said program instructions comprising instructions for;

(a) creating a database record that includes a field with flags; and

(b) naming at least part of said series of data files based on numerical equivalent of all possible flag combinations.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein said data series are images relating to a group of online services.

31. In an information processing system with a database for storing database records;

at least one data file name for specifying series of data, a system for naming a series of data files using file flags comprising;

(a) creating a database record that includes field with flags; and

(b) naming at least part of said series of data files based on numerical equivalents of all possible flag combinations.

32. The information processing system of claim 31, wherein said data series are images relating to a group of online services.